Article Summary and Key Points: The B-52H Stratofortress remains the backbone of the U.S. Air Force’s bomber fleet, capable of delivering precision-guided conventional and nuclear payloads. First flown in the 1950s, continuous modernization has ensured its relevance against evolving threats.
Key Point #1 – The B-52H has participated in numerous military operations, including Vietnam, Desert Storm, and recent strikes against ISIS. Upcoming upgrades include fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines, advanced radar, and improved avionics, extending its service life to nearly a century.
Key Point #2 – Its significant payload and adaptability in various missions, including maritime surveillance and nuclear deterrence, ensure that the B-52 will remain critical to American airpower strategy for decades.
Inside the B-52H: America’s 100-Year Bomber
The B-52H, Still Serving Sixty-four Years Later: The US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber capable of various missions. It can fly at high subsonic speeds at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet and carry 70,000 pounds of nuclear or precision-guided conventional ordnance. It also has worldwide precision navigation capability.
The first of an ordered 102 B-52H’s was delivered to Strategic Air Command in May 1961. Production ended for the B-52H in 1962. There are still 58 B-52H models on active duty with the Air Force and a further 18 in the Air Force Reserve.
The B-52H was a Cold War warrior used in combat during Vietnam, the Global War on Terror, and up to the 2016 war on ISIS in Syria. It is still the backbone of the USAF’s bomber force, and its longevity is a testament to its design and armament.
Meet The B-52H Stratofortress
While the B-52 is known as the Stratofortress, the pilots call it “the Buff,” standing for “Big Ugly Fat F***er.”
Amazingly, the B-52’s initial design production began in 1946, and the design evolved into the aircraft we recognize today. The Air Force went through many variants, but after the fall of the Soviet Union, all B-52Gs remaining in service were destroyed under the terms of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).
The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMRC) cut the 365 B-52s into pieces. Russia verified the destruction task’s completion via satellite and first-person inspection at the AMARC facility.
Only the H model is still in the Air Force inventory. The variant flies with the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, North Dakota, and the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, which falls under the Air Force Global Strike Command. The aircraft is also assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command’s 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB.
The B-52H carries five crew (pilot, copilot, weapon systems officer, navigator, and electronic warfare officer). The aircraft is powered by eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofans, 17,000 pounds of thrust each. It has an 8,000-mile range and can be refueled by airborne tankers. The B-52H carries nearly 48,000 gallons of fuel.
The 70,000-pound armament load can include the carrying of 20 air-launched cruise missiles. The Buff can reach speeds of 650mph (Mach 0.84) and cruises at 509mph.
With upgrades coming, the B-52H will be 100 years old when she remains on active Air Force force structure. And the old ladies need a lot of TLC and maintenance.
Iraqi Forces Were Demoralized By B-52 Bombings
During Operation Desert Storm, Iraqi troops were dug in along a wide area of Kuwait, with troop concentrations, fixed installations, and bunkers. After the B-52s were unleashed on Iraqi positions, it destroyed the morale of the Iraqi Republican Guard units, considered the best in Iraq’s military.
Iraqi troops would see a drone in the sky and know that they’ve been spotted, and a B-52 strike would be forthcoming.
In September 1996—two B-52Hs, during Operation Desert Strike, knocked out power to Baghdad power stations and communications facilities with 13 AGM-86C Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missiles, or CALCMs.
At that time, this was the longest distance ever flown for a combat mission. From take-off to landing at base from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, it was a 34-hour, 16,000-statute-mile round trip mission.
The B-52s returned to Central Command’s theatre of operations again in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom and launched 100 CALCMs in one night alone on March 21, 2003.
Added Service Life Upgrades
The B-52H will soon be getting some serious (and expensive) upgrades. The new upgrades will have the bomber flying into the 2050s, putting the B-52’s age over the century mark.
The B-52s will be equipped with new Rolls-Royce F130 engines, built in the United States, which promise a 30 percent improvement in fuel efficiency. This upgrade extends the aircraft’s range and reduces the logistical burden of frequent refueling. The new engines are also expected to be more reliable, reducing maintenance costs.
A B-52 Stratofortress aircraft flies overhead near the Air Force Flight Test Center. The Stratofortress is carrying AGM-86 air-launched cruise missiles.
The B-52s will feature state-of-the-art avionics and radar systems, including an AESA radar. This radar, similar to the one used on the Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, will provide the aircraft with advanced search, ground mapping, and electronic warfare capabilities while improving its survivability.
One area where the B-52H can continue to be a big part of the US strategy moving forward is maritime surveillance. A pair of B-52s, in two hours, can monitor 140,000 square miles (360,000 square kilometers) of the ocean surface.
Until the B-21 Raider bombers reach full strength, the US Air Force will continue to rely on its triad of bombers to complete its mission. That includes the B-1B, the B-2 Spirit, and the B-52H.
A B-52 Stratofortress takes off during Global Thunder 2019 at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Nov. 5, 2018. Global Thunder is an annual U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) exercise designed to provide training opportunities to test and validate command, control and operational procedures. The training is based on a notional scenario developed to drive execution of USSTRATCOM and component forces’ ability to support the geographic combatant commands, deter adversaries and, if necessary, employ forces as directed by the President of the United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lillian Miller)
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
